Mechanics lien/ contacting a homeowner

I was working for a Contractor on a job site as an hourly subcontractor when the contractor told me he was going to severely under estimate the amount of hours from 80 that I had put in to 50, I walked off the job site immediately, I have proof that the kind of hours had absolutely nothing to do with my performance on the job site, he was simply trying to stiff me, do I have a right to compensation for the hours that I worked, can I obtain this through a lien, and is it a good idea to contact the homeowner personally before submitting a formal notice of intent?